To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Qinghouyan lozenge in the treatment of acute pharyngitis due to Lung-heat and Yin-deficiency, and compare with Qinghouyan oral Liquid. Totally 144 subjects were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups (72 in the test group and 72 in the control group). The participants in the test group were given Qinghouyan lozenge for 5 days, and those in the control group were given Qinghouyan oral Liquid for 5 days. The effectiveness evaluation indexes were pharyngalgia/odynophagia disappearance rate, overall efficacy of TCM syndromes, TCM syndrome scores, and single syndrome and sign disappearance rate. During the test, the safety was evaluated by vital sign, lab examination indexes and adverse events. The results for the full analysis set showed that the couth disappearance rate, the incidence rate of TCM syndromes, and the throat/uvula congestion disappearance rate of the test group were higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05), with significant differences in the changes in syndrome scores between the two groups (P < 0.05). Altogether 3 adverse events were observed in the test group while 6 adverse events in the control group, without significant differences in the adverse event rate between the two groups (P < 0.05), serious abnormal laboratory examinations and vital signs. In conclusion, Qinghouyan lozenge has better efficacy in treatment of acute pharyngitis due to Lung-heat and Yin-deficiency than Qinghouyan oral liquid, with good safety.
Acute Disease ; Double-Blind Method ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pharyngitis ; drug therapy

Abstract: Objective To express and purify MPT83 protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and evaluate its application value in immunological diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) using clinical samples. Methods Using Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) H37Rv genome as the template, Mtb mpt83 gene was amplified by PCR and connected to PET-21a (+) to construct prokaryotic expression vector, and then transferred into E.coli DH5α. The positive colonies were picked out and retained. The recombinant plasmid pET-mpt83 of the strain with positive colony PCR was extracted, identified by double digestion, and the samples of the positive colonies were sent for sequencing. The correctly sequenced plasmids then were transferred into BL21 competent cells for induction, expression and purification with nickel column affinity chromatography. The purified products were identified by 12 alkyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting. Mouse polyclonal antiserum was prepared by immunizing mice with purified protein. 8 patients clinically diagnosed as tuberculosis pleural effusion (TB group) and 8 adenocarcinomas patients (CA group) were enrolled and their pleural effusion and plasma were collected. 8 healthy people (HC group) were enrolled as the control group and their plasma were collected. An indirect ELISA was used to detect the level of specific antibodies recognizing MPT83 protein in the samples. Results Mtb MPT83 protein was successfully expressed and purified. The serum titer of MPT83 mouse polyclonal antibody was as high as 1∶1 280 000. The plasma levels of MPT83 antigen specific antibodies in TB group were significantly higher than those in HC group (P<0.05), while the plasma levels of MPT83 antigen specific antibodies in CA group were not significantly different from those in HC group (P>0.05). Compared with the HC group, there was no significant difference in pleural fluid in both the TB and CA groups (P>0.05). The ROC curve was used to analyze the OD values of plasma in TB group and HC group, and the area under the curve was greater than 0.7, showing high diagnostic efficacy. Conclusion　MPT83 protein has high antigen specificity and immunogenicity, which has great application value in the immunological diagnosis of tuberculosis.

This study is to investigate therapeutic effect of astaxanthin on acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer in rats. Rats were divided into control group, ulcer control group, and astaxanthin (5, 10, and 25 mg x kg(-1)) groups at random, 8 rats in each group. After administered for 10 days consecutively, all the rats were sacrificed. The area of ulcer and the levels of MDA, SOD, CAT and GSH-Px in gastric mucosa were measured. Compared with ulcer control group, in astaxanthin (5, 10, and 25 mg x kg(-1)) groups, the area of ulcer was decreased significantly. Level of MDA decreased while activities of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px increased (P < 0.05). Astaxanthin has good therapeutic effect on acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer in rats. Eliminating free radical and improving local blood circulation of the ulcer may be the mechanism of action.
Acetic Acid ; Animals ; Anti-Ulcer Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antioxidants ; therapeutic use ; Catalase ; metabolism ; Gastric Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stomach Ulcer ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Xanthophylls ; therapeutic use

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides have been shown to have antihypertensive effects and have been utilized for physiologically functional foods and pharmaceuticals. The ACE inhibitory ability of a hydrolysate is determined by its peptide composition. However, the peptide composition of a hydrolysate depends on proteolytic enzyme and the hydrolysis conditions. In this study, the effect of process conditions on the ACE inhibitory activity of rice dregs hydrolyzed with a trypsin was investigated systematically using response surface methodology. It was shown that the ACE inhibitory activity of rice dregs hydrolysates could be controlled by regulation of five process conditions. Hydrolysis conditions for optimal ACE inhibition were defined using the response surface model of fractional factorial design (FFD), steepest ascent design, and central composite design (CCD).
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; analysis ; chemistry ; Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques ; methods ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Enzyme Activation ; Hydrolysis ; Oryza ; chemistry ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; Plant Proteins ; chemistry ; Protein Hydrolysates ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the proliferation-inhibiting and apoptosis-inducing effects of ursolic acid (UA) and oleanolic acid (OA) on multi-drug resistance (MDR) cancer cells in vitro.

METHODSUA and OA in different concentrations (0-100 μmol/L) were added separately to cultures of different cancer cell lines, including the human colon cancer cell lines SW480 and SW620, human acute myelocytic leukemia cancer cell lines HL60 and HL60/ADR, human chronic myelogenous leukemia cell lines K562 and K562/ADR, and the human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADR. Effects of UA and OA on cell proliferation were detected by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazole)-2-5-biphenly-tetrazole bromide (MTT) method and effects on cell apoptosis were tested by flow cytometry (FCM) and Western blot at 24, 48, and 72 h after treatment.

RESULTSBoth UA and OA showed significant inhibition on parent and MDR cell lines in a time- and concentration-dependent manner; the drug-resistant multiple of them on K562 and K562/ADR as well as on HL60 and HL60/ADR was 1; the effects of UA were better than those of OA in inhibiting cell growth of solid colonic cancer and breast cancer. After SW480 cells were treated by UA at the concentrations of 0-40 μmol/L for 48 h, FCM showed that annexin V (AV) positive cells and hypodiploid peak ratio increased along with the increase in the drug's concentrations; and Western blot found that expressions of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and survivin decreased in a concentration-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONSBoth UA and OA have antitumor effects on cancer cells with MDR, and the optimal effect is shown by UA on colonic cancer cells. Also, UA shows cell apoptosis-inducing effect on SW480, possibly by way of down-regulating the expressions of apoptosis antagonistic proteins, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and survivin.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; drug effects ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; drug effects ; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Oleanolic Acid ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo optimize extracting parameters of flavonoids from Humulus lupulus.

METHODBased on the single factors test on ethanol concentration, material and solvent ratio, extracting temperature and extracting time, orthogonal test was performed and the best combination was confirmed.

RESULTWith the optimized technology, the maximal extracting amount of flavonoids from H. lupulus was 78 mg x g(-1).

CONCLUSIONThe optimal techniques obtained are 45% ethanol extracting at 60 degrees C with material and solvent ratio 1:25 for 90 min.

Ethanol ; Flavonoids ; isolation & purification ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Humulus ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Temperature ; Time

The ethical issues involved in the diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors are increasing. Case teaching method is a teaching mode that has received much attention in recent years. This paper analyzed the com-mon ethical issues faced by clinical oncology at present, including tumor patients' right of informed consent, tumor patients' right of treatment option, and the hospice care for tumor patients and so on, and combined with cases, introduced the application of case teaching method in clinical oncology postgraduate ethics teaching.

Objective:To compare and observe the changes in choroidal thickness between healthy pregnant women and healthy non-pregnant women.Methods:A prospective clinical study. From January 2019 to August 2019, healthy pregnant women (pregnant women group) and healthy non-pregnant women age-matched were enrolled during the same period (the normal group) in the obstetrics of Zhuji People's Hospital. All patients were enrolled with their right eyes. Frequency-domain OCT-enhanced depth imaging technology was used to measure the subfoveal macular and 1000 μm above, below, nasal, and temporal choroidal thickness and foveal retinal thickness (CMT). The choroidal thickness and CMT of the pregnant women group and the normal group were compared by t test, and the choroidal thickness and CMT of the normal group and the eyes of different gestational weeks were compared by one-way analysis of variance. Results:The pregnant women group and the normal group included 161 patients (161 eyes) and 40 patients (40 eyes). According to the different gestational weeks, the pregnant women were divided into the first trimester group, the second trimester group, and the third trimester group, with 47 patients (47 eyes), 66 patients (66 eyes), and 48 patients (48 eyes) respectively. There was no significant difference in age, axial length, intraocular pressure, and CMT between the different gestational week groups and the normal group ( F=1.433, 1.558, 0.416, 2.288; P>0.05). The subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) of the pregnant women group and normal group were 317.7±73.9 μm and 279.7±44.1 μm, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=3.113, P=0.002). Compared with the normal group, the choroid at the upper, lower, nasal, and temporal sides of the pregnant group 1000 μm from the fovea was thickened. The difference between the upper, nasal and temporal sides was statistically significant ( t=2.699, 3.474, 2.595; P<0.05). The SFCT of the eyes in the first trimester group, the middle group, and the late group were 305.8±72.3, 327.7±69.8, 315.8±80.5 μm, respectively. Compared with the normal group, the difference was statistically significant ( F=4.180, P=0.007). Pairwise comparison between the two groups, the second trimester group was significantly different from the normal group ( P=0.003). There was no significant difference among the first trimester group、the third trimester group and the other groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The choroidal thickness of pregnant women is thicker than normal, and the choroidal thickness in the second trimester reaches the maximum value; while the macular CMT during pregnancy has no significant change.

Purpose of this study was to establish an effective method in vitro to proliferate natural killer T (NKT) cells from umbilical cord blood (UCB) and peripheral blood (PB), and to study their different phenotype. Mononuclear cells (MNC) from UCB and PB were cultured in the presence of IL-2 (100 U/ml), with or without alpha-Galcer. TCR Valpha24 Vbeta11 double positive natural killer T-cells (NKT cells) and their other phenotypes were determined by flow cytometry. The results showed that after expansion for 7 days, TCRValphabeta(+) NKT cells from UCB-MNCs increased by (8.74 +/- 4.37) x 10(2) times as much, but most of them did not express NK1.1 and its TCR Vbeta11(+) was higher than TCR Valpha24(+). After expansion for 14 days, TCR Valphabeta(+) NKT cells from PB-MNCs increased by (3.72 +/- 2.01) x 10(2) times, the expression of NK1.1 was high and its TCR Vbeta11(+) was almost equal to TCR Valpha24(+). It is concluded that human TCR Valpha24 Vbeta11 double positive NKT cells can expand by addition of alpha-Galcer. The proliferation efficiency in UCB-MNCs is greater than that in PB-MNCs. Most of the UCB-NKT is NK1.1(-), while the PB-NKT is NK1.1(+), a new subset of NKT cells.
Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; Galactosylceramides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; pharmacology ; Killer Cells, Natural ; cytology ; drug effects ; immunology ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; Phenotype ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; cytology ; drug effects ; immunology

Objective Circular RNA (CircRNA) plays an important role in the carcinogenesis and development of cancers. However, the relationship between circRNA and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has been rarely reported. The aim of this study is to investigate the differentially expressed circRNAs in human NPC and chronic nasopharyngeal mucositis.Methods Three NPC specimens and three chronic nasopharyngeal mucositis specimens which were diagnosed by nasopharyngeal biopsy in the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University from November 2016 to March 2017, were enrolled in the study. The circRNA expression profiles of those candidates were assayed by high-throughput human circRNA microarray. After pretreatment and homogenization of the original data, the circRNAs with differential expression were screened out and analyzed by hierarchical clustering. Moreover, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and KEGG pathway analysis were performed to analyze the functional classification and related pathways.Results Compared with the chronic nasopharyngeal mucositis, there are a total of 829 differentially expressed circRNAs in NPC, among which 761 were found to be up-regulated and 68 were down-regulated. Those differentially expressed circRNAs were analyzed to be mainly related to cell cycle, cell proliferation and other biological processes; mainly involved in p53 signaling pathway, cell cycle and DNA replication signaling pathway.Conclusion Those differentially expressed circRNAs may be associated with the tumorigenesis and development of NPC.